Should you follow your passion?

There are volumes of writing to be found online and in self-help circles that advises folks who are stuck to “follow your bliss,” or “do what you’re passionate about.” Should you follow your passion or not?

These instructions are essential pieces, but far from the complete puzzle—it’s like being told that if you want to become a movie star , you should move to Hollywood (and believe in yourself!). Even if you know what your “passion” is (as if there is just one thing you can be passionate about), there are so many other factors that matter. For example:

Can you earn a living doing it?

Would it still be your passion if you had to do it every day to make money?

Is the thing you’re passionate about related to a skill that you have , that you want to develop, and that’s needed in the market?

Don’t follow your passion

The point here is not that you need to have firm answers to all of these questions before you even get started. But in a world where bills must be paid, vast sums of student loans must be paid off, and competition is fierce, to neglect the more subtle nuances and practical implications of setting out to get paid to do what you love is dangerous advice.

Secondly, and more importantly, “follow your passion” is not helpful because it makes it sound so easy. And that is a very insidious thing, because finding meaningful work is anything but easy.

It’s hard, it takes time, and it takes serious dedication to the cause.

It means many late nights battling fear and anxiety , doubting yourself, and wondering if you’re crazy or naive or unrealistic for pursuing the path you’ve chosen.

So do not work on your passion. Let the passion sleep. Let the aptitude burn. If aptitude burns, it will enhance you. If passion burns, it will burn you down one day. There is a place for you in this school, there are lots of noises. You can make music out of them. If an engine is roaring, can you not make music out of it? Everything has a pitch. Everything has a rhythm. If you just catch it right, it is there. It is constant application which makes it happen. Not, “Oh, I should have been in a music school. I am in a chemistry class right now, “Tch. That is not going to help. You will neither get this nor that. Do not waste your time enhancing your passion. “I have passion for music, but I have no aptitude.” Other people should show passion wanting to listen to your music.